What's your kill count?
by Simmens
Summary: One-shot involving the scene at the end of the Geonosis arc (Landing at Point Rain). What are Rex's and Cody's kill counts?


Rex sighted and wished that he could take off his helmet to wipe the sweat off his forehead – no matter how good his armor regulated the heat, it didn't hold off all of Geonosis' sun's heat; not to mention that the battle might have something to do with it, too.

Damn, the battle… They'd lost so many men this time. Rex swore under his helmet so nobody would hear it and cursed. It started small and quiet at first, but his voice was hoarse when he finished. But through it all, his body language didn't give away the fury and the heat in his own private hell.

"I am never coming to Geonosis again" He hadn't participated in the first battle, but the whispered stories amongst the survivors of the first attack on this force-forsaken dustball had been more than enough.

As he was walking towards the generals to finally leave the planet's surface, Cody caught up next to him. Rex opened a channel to the commander's helmet so only the two of them could talk.

It had become a sad tradition between the two of them that they'd meet after a battle – or whenever they'd meet, because they belonged to two different units – to mourn the dead and talk; or they'd just sit next to each other in silence.

Despite the sadness the captain was currently feeling, for a second he felt relief that at least the commander was still alive and instantly felt a pang of guilt for being so selfish when countless brothers had lost their lives today.

Today apparently was a day to talk.

"You ok, Rex?" Cody's voice was quiet. He'd always been the calm and collected one of them.

"No…" he paused and was glad that his brother didn't interrupt the silence.

"I've lost more than half of Torrent company…so many men." Inside his helmet, a tear rolled down his cheek. But the captain didn't allow any more to fall, because he knew that once it started, it would all come crashing down on him.

"And the general kind of threw me off a wall…" he chuckled without and humor but it died down faster than it had come.

"How did the 212th fare?" he instead asked Cody who was silent for a moment.

"Only…15 are left…" his voice cracked and the channel was filled with silence.

"Fek" Rex didn't know what to say, because he knew over a hundred 212th troopers had left the hangar just a few hours ago.

They were now close to the gunship that was their way out of here and the two clone officers knew that for now they had to compose themselves… at least until they were in the privacy of the clone quarters – although Rex briefly put his hand on Cody's shoulder because he knew what his brother was going through.

As they came closer, outwardly perfectly composed, they heard Commander Tano talk to General Skywalker.

"… was your total?" She sounded calm, quite happy even when she spoke.

"Not now, Ahsoka" General Skywalker, who was helping Kenobi walk responded, but apparently the orange-skinned Padawan didn't get the cue – or she just knew Skywalker better than Rex or Cody did.

"Come on, are you afraid you lost this time?" she teased and for a moment, Rex diverted his attention to the three clones waiting at the gunship – and just from their posture alone he could tell that they were devastated and tired from the fight and the loss. It were small signs that gave it away – their bodies were just a little more slumped than usual and he could swear that the trooper who had just been talking to Mundi was gripping his rifle a tad harder than usual.

"60. Looks like I won." The commander was just saying, but Skywalker retorted by saying that it was him who'd called in the air-strike.

"What are they talking about?" He asked Cody in the privacy of their helmets.

"Comparing kill counts. Apparently, it's a game of theirs" Rex knew his brother well enough to associate the crisp and firm voice he'd spoken with as a sign of barely hidden anger. And he very well shared Cody's sentiment about this.

How the hell could they joke about the battle when behind them, a brother was treated by medics.

He shook his head and listened to the numbers his superiors were mentioning.

"Hey Captain, Commander, what are your numbers?" The Padawan asked and Rex froze.

"I don't count kills. I've stopped." He said and any displeasure his voice may have held was luckily vanished by his helmet's speakers. And it was true. He'd stopped counting after his first command, because he found that the numbers meant nothing compared to the one's flashing now in his HUD – their losses.

"Just estimate, Rex." Skywalker chimed in.

Rex exchanged a quick glance with Cody who was now standing with his hands behind his back – no doubt balled to fists.

"326, sir."

"Oh, come on Rex. You couldn't have possibly gotten that many. Droids in the wall don't count." Ahsoka said, assuming he was just showing off or teasing her.

"No, Commander. Those are the numbers of brother's we lost today. And three are still in critical condition."

Ahsoka didn't know what to say and neither did the generals.


End file.
